U.S. Reporter Gershkovich Appeals Latest Extension of Detention in Russia – U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is facing spying charges he denies, has lodged an appeal against the recent prolongation of his pre-trial confinement in Moscow. As reported by Russian state media on Saturday, the TASS news agency stated that a Moscow court confirmed receiving the appeal submitted by the defense team representing the Wall Street Journal correspondent.
Gershkovich was apprehended on March 29 in Yekaterinburg, a city in the Urals, under allegations of espionage, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The trial date has not yet been scheduled, and his detention at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison was extended by three months until November 30th during a Thursday session.
People Also Read: Russian Court Extends Detention of WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich
After facing setbacks in his previous appeals in April and June, Evan Gershkovich, the U.S. journalist who is entangled in a case of alleged spying in Moscow, has encountered challenges in seeking relief from his extended pre-trial detention. The United States government has strongly accused Russia of engaging in “hostage diplomacy” through its handling of Gershkovich’s situation.
This assertion comes at a particularly strained juncture in bilateral relations, with Moscow’s military involvement in Ukraine causing a severe deterioration in its interactions with Washington—bringing the diplomatic ties to their most fragile state in over six decades. The U.S. government vehemently maintains that the charges leveled against Gershkovich are baseless and without merit.
Notably, Washington has not only called for Gershkovich’s immediate release but also that of another U.S. citizen, Paul Whelan. Whelan had been convicted of espionage in 2020 and is presently serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian penal colony, a verdict he strongly refutes. These interconnected cases, involving Gershkovich and Whelan, have become emblematic of the broader complexities and tensions existing between the United States and Russia, illustrating the multifaceted nature of their diplomatic discord.
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